Rock drilling apparatus



May 4, 1965 G. R. LINDBEZRG ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1961 y 1965 G. R. LINDBERG. 3,181,624

ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 5, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M y 4, 1.965 G. R. LINDBERG 3,181,624

ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 3. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet s Fig. IO

May 4, 1965 G. R. LINDBERG ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 5. 1961 United States Patent 3,181,624 RGCK DRILLING APPARATUS Giite Ragnvald Lindberg, Saltsjobaden, Sweden, assignor to Atlas Copco Aktiebolag, Nacka, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed Oct. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 142,618 14 Claims. (Cl. 173-43) This invention relates to a drilling apparatus and more specifically to a mobile drilling apparatus intended for underground drilling operations. A primary object of the invention is to provide a novel and efficient mobile drilling apparatus especially suited for mechanized rapid drilling of groups of drill holes transversely of the direction of a drift or crosscut, for example during application of sublevel caving. Another object of the invention is to provide a mobile drilling apparatus capable of drilling groups of parallel drill holes as well as groups of holes in fan-shaped arrangement in upward and downward direction transversely of the drift. A further object of the invention is to provide a mobile drilling apparatus capable of drilling groups of drill holes transversely of the drift and elliciently operable in comparatively small drifts. A still further object of the invention is to provide a mobile drilling apparatus capable of drilling groups of drill holes in comparatively small drifts in a fan-shaped arrangement covering a wide angle transversely of the drift from one side of the floor to the other.

In the accompanying drawings one preferred embodiment of a rock drilling apparatus according to the invention is illustrated by way of example which embodiment, however, is by no means limiting for the scope of the invention which may be modified in several different ways within the scope of the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a drilling apparatus according to the invention with the drill and feed bar in the longitudinal central plane of the drilling apparatus.

FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal fragmental section of a drift and indicates diagrammatically the maximum backward and forward tilt of the apparatus in FIG. 1 when positioned in said drift.

FIG. 3 shows a transverse section of a drift and indicates diagrammatically a group of drill holes, positioned by the apparatus in FIG. 1 in upward fan-shaped arrange ment with the fan center in the middle of the drift.

FIG. 4 indicates diagrammatically and in correspondence with FIG. 3 a group of drill holes in downward fanshaped arrangement.

FIG. 5 is a back view of the apparatus in FIG. 1 with the drill and feed bar shifted to the left of the longitudinal central plane of the drilling apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a View on line 66 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 shows a transverse section of a drift and indicates diagrammatically a group of drill holes positioned by the drilling apparatus in double fan-shaped arrangement with the fan centers at opposed corners of the drift.

FIG. 8 shows a transverse section of a drift and indicates diagrammatically a group of parallel upward drill holes positioned by the drilling apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a back view of the apparatus in FIG. 1 with the operating panel removed and with the drill and feed bar shifted to the right of the longitudinal central plane of the apparatus.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view on line 1010 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the upstanding structure and the boom system of the drilling apparatus when positioned according to FIG. 5.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view on line 1212 in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 13 is a view on line 1313 in FIG. 11.

The drilling apparatus for underground drilling operations consists of a mobile substructure or carriage 21 having two pair of wheels 22 which may be arranged to ride upon a trackway 23 extending the length of drift to be worked or may be tired or crawler-tracked resting directly against the floor of the drift. The carriage 21 has a forward frame portion 24, FIG. 6, a narrow middle portion 25, and a back portion 26. Mounted on the carriage 21 near the back portion 26 is a stand 27 for an operating panel. Pivotally mounted by means of transverse pivots fixed brackets 34 carrying vertical power jacks 35, thepiston rods of which are intended to contact the floor of the drift for supporting purposes, the pointer bar 33 simultaneously contacting the roof thereby firmly fixing the upstanding structure 30 with respect to the drift. A double acting power cylinder 36 is pivotally connected to the upstanding structure 30 near its middle portion at a pivot 37 while its opposed end is pivotally fixed to the forward frame portion 24 by means of a pivot 38. By extending and contracting the power cylinder 36 theupstanding structure 34) together with its associated parts may be tilted to various working positions between the backwardly tilted position 39 indicated in FIG. 2 and a forward position 40 the latter also suitable for transportation of the drilling apparatus.

Slidably arranged between an upper and lower position on the pillar 31 is a bracket 41 carrying thereon two parallel laterally spaced-apart pivots 42 and 43, the pivot 42 lying in the central longitudinal plane of the carriage 21 and upstanding structure 30. Pivotally arranged on the pivot 42 for swinging movement in a transverse vertical plane with respect to the carriage 21 is a boom 44. At the opposite end of the boom 44 is provided a bearing bushing 45 which, with its associated elements as described below, provides for the support of the feed bar or beam channel 53, the drill, and associated parts. Centrally on the boom 44 is arranged a pivot 46, FIG. 10, pivotally connected to the boom 44 and fixed to one end of a link 47, the other end of which is swingably connected to a pivot 43 on the lower portion of the upstanding structure or support means 30 vertically below the pivot 42 of the slidable bracket 41. The end of the link 47 adjacent the pivot 46 is extended in sidewise direction and is pivotally connected at 43 to one end of a double acting power cylinder 50. The opposite end of the power cylinder 50 is connected to the upstanding structure 30 at 51 adjacent one of its transverse pivots 29. By contracting and extending the power cylinder 50, the link 47 may be swung from one side of the central plane of the drilling-apparatus to the other, whereby the end of the boom 44 adjacent the pivot 42 is raised and lowered together with the slidable bracket 41 while the other end of the boom 44 carrying the bushing 45 swings from one side of the carriage to the other to position the rock drilling apparatus in any of the plurality of horizontal positions between the two extremes of travel of boom 44 from one side of the carriage to the other, all of which positions are substantially within a vertical plane transversely of the carriage, which vertical plane may be tilted through a plurality of positions by the action of cylinder 36 acting to tilt supporting structure 30 around pivots 29.

A trunnion or pivot means 52 is pivotally carried by the bearing bushing 45 of the boom, which trunnion 52 extends transversely to and is fixedly attached to one end of an elongated guidej member '53- Adjacent the trunnion 52 the guidemember is provided with a cross 53. Obviously the cross section of the drift in FIGS. 3

arm 54 protruding transversely with respect to the trunnion 52 and the guide frame 53 and carrying a pivot 55 at its free end. Between this pivot 55 and the pivot 43 on the slidable bracket 41 there is coupled adouble acting power cylinder 56. By extending and contracting the power cylinder 56 the cross arm 54 maybe swung substantially from the full line to the dotted line position of FIG. 11 and vice versa' which means a corresponding i swinging of the guide member 53 andassociated'part s, all

substantially in vertical or tilted transverse planes. In the state of extension of the power cylinder 56 illustrated in FIGS. 5, 9, ll the power cylinder 56 forms part of an elongated parallellog'ram linkage the other link members of which are constituted by the boom; 44,1the cross arm 7 54, and the slidable bracket 41. 7

The guide member 53 is provided with elongated spacedapart guides 57 for slidable accommodation of a saddle 158 carrying an elongated feed bar 58. A double acting power cylinder 59 is connected to a pivot'60 on the'saddle 158 and to a pivot 61 on the guide member 53 and serves 3 for example by a feed screw'63 or by other meansserves to feed a drill 64 together'with a drill steel 65 towards" a rock face. The drill 64 is guidedifor reciprocation by spaced-apart guide grooves 66. provided on the feed bar 58, which also carries a conventional drill steel guide 67.; The arrangement of' the feed bar 58'together with its as'sociatedparts is preferably such, thatit may be to move the saddle 158 together'with the feed bar 58 i I longitudinally of itself relatively to said' guide mem-.

ber 53 and said trunnion 52 for'compensating differences p I in the distance between the trunnion 52 and the rock face, in connection with :changesgof the angular position of the feed bar 58.1 fiz indicates a. drill feed motor which reversed on the saddle 158 with respect-to the guide member 53, eg, may be disconnected from the saddle 158 and.

reinserted. 'on said saddle with the drill pointing'in the opposite direction. 7 p

The pressure fluid for operation, of the different jacks, power cylinders,'the feed motor; and the drill of the illustrated drilling apparatus is supplied from suitable sources not illustrated, and the various hoses for conveying pres-,

sure fluid have been omitted since they would make the drawing rather congested and, since the provision of such;- hoses is obvious .to those. skilledin the art. 7

' In FIG. 1 the drilling apparatus isillustrated in posi tion for drillingverticalQholes in upward direction with and 4 is too small should there be a desire to use a wider fan angle. By' means of the boom arrangement according to the invention, however, it is possible to extend said angle-without altering thecross section of the drift To this end the operatormanipulates the power cylinder. 56 and thereby places the guide member :53 tegether with the f eed bar '58 and the drill 64 Qin vertically upward position corresponding to FIG. 1. .By. extending the power. cylinder the operator now throws the link 47 to the left, FIG. 5, as viewed-from the operat ing panel. By' the turning movement of the link 47 the slidable bracket 41 ,isv brought in its downward'position I sliding, down along ,the pillar 31 simultaneously with the boom 44 being swung toithe lefttogeth er withthe trunnion 52' of the guide member 53. .Owing to the parallel linkage formed by: the brac'ket 41, the power cylinder 56, the cross; arm 54, and the boom 44', the guide member 53 during such swing to the left remains in vertically upward position. By now manipulating the power cylinder 56 ,the operator is able to position a group, of 'drill holes'70 in fan-shaped arrangement with the fan center at the left corner of the drift.thereby'covering; the roof and the wall: of thedrift opposite to said cornen. 'lj-h'ereupon thenoperator, after having brought. the drill -and guide fran1e53 into vertical position by manipulation of-the power'cylinderid, may contract the power cylinder 50 thereby swinging the-link 47'from the left side of the carriage 2 1Qoverto its right side into the position of. FIG. 9. Obviously the above mentioned parallel linkage-keeps the guide frame '53 in the vertical position during this swing. 'By further manipulation of the power cylinder 56 the operator may now position a group of drill holes 71 in 'fan-shaped' arrangement with the fan' center at theright hand corner of the drift, covering by the fan angle thelroof' and the opposed wall of the drift.

Asa result, the small drift illustratedin FIG.';7 may receive drill holes in a transversefdirection arrangedin doublefan-shaped arrangement through. a wide angle completely covering the roof-'and the'walls of the, drift.

- Obviously theparallel displacement of the guide member 53, the feed bar 58, and the drill 64 may be used for I positioning parallel, vertical holes 72 ,in upward directhe guide member 53 and feed zbar 58 in the longitudinal central plane of the drilling apparatus and the drift. After choosing a suitable tilt of the-apparatus by means of the a 3 power cylinder 36 andtextension of the pointer bar 33 against; the roof and the power jacks 35against the floor the apparatus is .ready for operation. It is obvious'that I swinging of the cross arm. 54- upward or downward in FIG. 1 by mearis of the power cylinder i'56fmoves the :guide member 53, the feed bar 58 and the drill 64 in fan-shape around the trunnion 52. Thisenables the operator to .drill a group of holes 68, FIG. 3,.infupward fan:

shaped arrangement transversely of the drift with the fan center in the middleof the drift; The operator can do this by simply manipulating the power cylinder 56 and raising or lowering the feedbar 58 by means of the power cylinder 59. f

After reversing the feed bar 58 together with the'drill 64 to point in downward direction, the operator obvi tion as indicated in FIG. 8. Of course parallel holes may be drilled also in downward. direction after reversing the 7 described having a mobile carriage. with means mounted thereon forsupporting and fe'eding a rock'drill in a plurality of horizontal and vertical and angular drilling positions all of'which lieis'ubstantially in a planeextending transversely of said carriage, the combination which 1 comprises an elongated. feed bar 'for carryinga rock .drill and having feeding meansthereon for feeding andv retracting a rock drillidijsposed and. supported thereon along said feed bar, main support means on said carriage.

boom means for carrying and moving said feed bar and .a rock drill supported thereon into said plurality of posiously in.an analogous manner is able to drill holes'69,

FIG. 4, in downwardfarnshaped arrangement. Position ing of a drill hole downwardly inthe central plane of the drift is of course prevented 'by the middle frame portion 24, but owing to the narrownes's thereof-theobstructed area will be small. As readily seen from FIGS. 3 and' 4 the angle through which the fan of drill holes may be positioned is decided by thelength of the feedbar 58 in its retracted position on the guide member 'tions transverse to said carriage, substantially horizontal.

'pivdt'me'ans with; the axis thereof substantially. parallel to said carriage for interconnecting one end of said feed bar. with-one end of said boom means,'means for. moveably connecting the other end of said boom means to said 'main support for swinging movement with respect thereto through said plurality of positions in said trans- .'verse plane, firstjpower, means on said carriage and engaging saidboom means for swinging movement thereof and said "pivot means with respect to said main support. 'rneans to said plurality of said positions in said transverse plane, said pivot means interconnecting said feed bar with said boom means also including means for swinging said feed bar to a plurality of angular positions about the axis of said pivot means independently of said swinging movement of said boom means, and second power means on said carriage and connected to said feed bar for the swinging thereof about said axis and operable independently of said first power means.

2. In mobile rock drilling apparatus of the character described having a mobile carriage with means mounted thereon for supporting and feeding a rock drill in a plurality of horizontal and vertical and angular drilling positions substantially all of which lie substantially in a plane extending transversely of said carriage, the combination which comprises an elongated feed bar for carrying a rock drill and having feeding means thereon for feeding and retracting a rock drill disposed thereon along said feed bar, main support means on said carriage disposed in a generally upright position and extending for a substantial distance above said carriage, boom means for carrying and moving said feed bar and a rock drill supported thereon into said plurality of positions transverse to said carriage, substantially horizontal pivot means interconnecting one end of said feed bar with one end of said boom means, the axis of said pivot means being generally perpendicular to both said elongated feed bar and said plane transversely of said carriage, means for movably connecting the other end of said boom means to said main support means for both vertical and pivotal movement with respect thereto through said plurality of positions in said transverse plane, a linkage pivotally connected between said main support means and said boom means, first power means on said carriage and engaging said linkage for imparting said pivotal movement to said boom means through said linkage, said pivot means interconnecting said feed bar with said boom means also including means for swinging said feed bar to a plurality of angular positions about said axis of said pivot means independently of said swinging movement of said boom means, and second power means on said carriage and connected to said feed bar for thus swinging said feed bar with respect to said boom means about said axis and operable independently of said first power means.

3. Rock drilling apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which said main support means comprises an upright pillar on said carriage, and said means for movably connecting said boom means thereto includes a bracket vertically slidable along said pillar with means for pivotally connecting said boom means to said bracket.

4. Rock drilling apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which said means for swinging said feed bar with respect to said boom means and about the axis of said pivot means includes a crank arm pivotally linked to said main support means forming a parallelogram linkage therewith.

5. In mobile rock drilling apparatus of the character described having a mobile carriage with means mounted thereon for supporting :and feeding a rock drill in a plurality of horizontal and vertical and angular drilling positions substantially all of which lie substantially in a plane extending transversely of said carriage, the combination which comprises an elongated feed bar for carrying and supporting a rock drill and having feeding means thereon for feeding and retracting a rock drill thereon along said feed bar, main support means on said carriage disposed in a generally upright position and extending for a substantial distance above said carriage, parallelogram boom means for carrying and moving said feed bar into said plurality of positions transverse to said carriage, pivot means interconnecting one end of said feed bar with one end of said boom means and including a cross arm forming one end of said parallelogram boom means, the axis of said pivot means being generally perpendicular to both said elongated feed bar and said plane transversely of said carriage, means for movably connecting the other end of said parallelogram boom means to said main support means for both vertical and pivotal movement with respect thereto for swinging movement thereof with re spect to said main support means through said transverse plane swinging said boom means and said feed bar thereon to said plurality of said positions transverse of said carriage, a linkage pivotally connected between said main support means and said boom means for imparting said swinging movement thereto, a fluid-operated cylinder in driving engagement with said linkage for moving said boom means therethrough, said cross arm also effecting pivoting of said feed bar about the axis of said pivot means therefor for swinging thereof to a plurality of angular positions about said axis and with respect to said boom means and independently of said swinging movement of said boom means, and second power means on said carriage and connected to said cross arm for impart-.

ing said swinging movement to said feed bar.

6. Rock drilling apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which said feed bar for carrying and supporting a rock drill includes means for moving a rock drill along said feed bar in both feeding and retracting directions substantially independently of the horizontal or angular positioning of said feed bar about the axis of said pivot means, and also includes additional power means on said feed bar for imparting to a rock drill disposed thereon said movement along said feed bar.

7. In an arrangement for supporting reciprocally fed rock drilling apparatus on a mobile carriage therefor and in a plurality of horizontal and angular positions substantially all of which lie substantially in a plane generally transverse of said carriage and at an angle to the horizontal axes thereof, the combination which comprises main support means on said carriage, translating means for carrying said rock drilling apparatus on said main support means for translating movement to said plurality of horizontal positions from one side of said carriage to the opposite side thereof and in said plane thereacross, first power means on said carriage and in driving engagement with said translating means for eifecting said movement and positioning thereof, substantially horizontal pivotal mounting means between one end of said rock drilling apparatus and said translating means with the axis thereof parallel to said carriage axis for providing swinging and pivoting movement of said rock drilling apparatus with respect to said translating means and about an axis substantially perpendicular to both said rock drilling apparatus and said transverse plane in each of said plurality of said horizontal positions into which rock drilling apparatus is translated by said translating means, second power means in driving engagement with said rock drilling apparatus and said pivotal mounting means therefor for thus pivoting and swinging said rock drilling apparatus independently of the operation and positioning of said translating means and said first power means therefor, and third power means on said carriage and in driving engagement with said translating means for effecting til-ting movement of said translating means longitudinally of said carriage to define the angle of said transverse plane with the vertical.

8. Rock drilling apparatus as recited in claim 1 which also includes pivot means between said carriage and said main support means and means for tilting said main support means independently of the operation of all said other aforementioned means for defining the angle of said transverse plane with the vertical.

9. Rock drilling apparatus as recited in claim 2 which also includes transverse pivot means between said carriage and said main support means, and third power means on said carriage and in driving engagement with said main support means for effecting longitudinal tilting movement thereof to define the angle of said transverse plane with the vertical.

10. Rock drilling apparatus as recited in claim 5 in which also includes transverse pivot means between said carriage and said main support rneans, and third power means on said carriage and in driving engagement-With said main support meansfor effecting longitudinal-tilting movement thereof to define the angle. of said transverseplane with the vertical.

'11. In mobile rock drilling rality of horizontal andvertical andnangulrrdrilliiig posi' tions substantially all ofwhichlie substantially inaplane apparatus of the charaeter 5 described having a mobile carriage with means mounted thereon for supporting and feeding a rock, drill in a plu-' said boom means andsaid extending transversely of saidrcarriage the combination; l which comprises an elongated feed bar for carrying said rock drill and having feeding meanstthereon for feeding and retracting saidrock drill along said feed bar, main support means on said carriage'disposed ina generally upright position and extending for asubstantialdistance above said carriage, boom means for carrying and moving said feedubar and said rock drillsupported thereon into said plurality of horizontal positions, pivot means interconnecting one end of said feed bar with one end of said boom means, the axis of said pivot means being generally perpendicular, to both of said elongated feed bar and said plane transversely of said carriage, means for movably connecting the other end of said boom means to said main support means for both verticaltand pivotal movement with respect thereto through said transverse plane, a linkage pivotally connected between said ,main supportmeans and said boom ;r n ea'ns, first power means on said carriage and engaging said linkage for imparting said pivotal movement to said boom means through. said linkage, said pivot means interconnecting said feed bar with said boom means also including a' crank armpivotally linked to said main support means forming a parallelogram linkage therewithfor-swinging; said feed bar to a plurality of angular positions about said axis? of said pivot means independently of saidswinging move-,

ment of said-boom means, and second power means. ir1-- eluding a power cylinder connected to'said crankarm in said parallelogram linkage for pivoting, movementv of said crank arm and said feed bar about the axis of said thereof. v a

12. In mobile rock drilling apparatus of the character describedhaving-atmobile carriage with means mounted thereon for supporting and feeding a rock drill in a plurality of horizontal and vertical and angular drilling positions substantially all of which lie substantially in a plane extending transversely of said carriage, .the combination; which comprises an elongated feed bar for carrying said,

crossarm also effecting pivoting of said feed bar about the axisgof said pivot means therefor for swinging thereof to' a plurality of angular positions about said axis and.

j with respect to said boonrm'eans aridindependently of, 'saidswingingmovement of saidrboom means, and a fluid-I operated cylinderconnectedjbetween said cross arm and said main support means and forming one side of said parallelogram boom'means for imparting'said swinging movement to said-feed bar. 13. In apparatus of the "character described for supporting reciprocably fed rock drillsfin a plurality of angularpositions "constituting a, fan-shaped pattern transversely'of the support therefor for the purpose of drilling a famshaped series ofholestransversely of mining drifts underground'and having an elongated base therefor with a substantially upright main support disposed thereon, the combination which comprises translating means disposed. on said main support for carrying said apparatus on said support for translating movement thereof in a plane transa verseof said apparatusfromlone sidepof; said base to the opposite side thereof, substantially horizontal pivotal mounting means disposed on said translating means on the endthereof opposite from an end on said main sup- 7 port with the. axis thereof being parallel to the longitudinaltaxis of said base andproviding the fan-shaped drilling center, elongated feeding means with oneend there-.

of disposed on said pivot means for-. carrying and supporting a rock drill therealong, first power means on said jmain support and in driving engagement with said translating: means for movementithereoft with said fan-shaped drilling center pivotal mounting means and said feeding r pivot means therefor in eachposition of said boom means and independently of V the movement and positioning rock drill and having feeding means; thereon for feeding and retracting said rock drill along said feed bar, main;

means disposed thereon in said plane from one side of.

said apparatus to the-opposite side thereof while maintaining the axis of saidpivotal mounting means perpendicular to said transverse plane, and second power means v disposed on said main supporhandindriving engagement I with said feeding means for swinging said feeding means on said pivotal means in a plurality of positions around the axis thereof and. independently of said translating means;

- 14. Rock drilling apparatus as recited'in claim 13 in which said elongated feeding means for carrying and supporting a rock drill includes an;elongated feed bar,

for carrying said rock drill' means for feeding said rock drill along said bar, an elongated guide member extending alongsaid' feed bar, and connected to said pivot means,

support means on said carriage disposed in a generally upright position and extending for a substantial distance above said carriage, parallelogram boom means for carrying and moving said feed bar into said plurality of horizontal positions, pivot meansinterconnecting one end of said feed bar with one end of said boom means and includinga cross arm forming one end of said parallelogram boom means, the axis of saidpivot means being generally perpendicular to both or said elongated feed bar and said planetransver-sely of said' cariiageymeans for movably connecting the othertend of said parallelo gram boom means to said main support means. for both vertical and pivotal movement with respect thereto for swinging movement thereof with respect to said main support means through said, transyerse plane swinging and means for reciprocal movement of said feed bar and rock drill with respect to said} guide member:

References Cited hytheExarniner UNITED STATESFPATENTS 2,581,667

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2,703,222 I 3/55, Feucht( 173543" 2,731,235" 1/5 D'ellner 173,- 43 2,845,251 7/5s- Barton'et al.' 173 -43 2,856,155 lo/ssiruttt -l 1 73, 43

BROUGHT ON G. DURI I AM, Pfimary iEx amin e r, CHARLES OCQNNELLExaminef, j 

7. IN AN ARRANGEMENT FOR SUPPORTING RECIPROCALLY FED ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS ON A MOBILE CARRIAGE THEREFOR AND IN A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTAL AND ANGULAR POSITIONS SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF WHICH LIE SUBSTANTIALLY IN A PLANE GENERALLY TRANSVERSE OF SAID CARRIAGE AND AT AN ANGLE TO THE HORIZONTAL AXES THEREOF, THE COMBINATION WHICH COMPRISES MAIN SUPPORT MEANS ON SAID CARRIAGE, TRANSLATING MEANS FOR CARRYING SAID ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS ON SAID MAIN SUPPORT MEANS FOR TRANSLATING MOVEMENT TO SAID PLURALITY OF HORIZONTAL POSITIONS FROM ONE SIDE OF SAID CARRIAGE TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE THEREOF AND IN SAID PLANE THEREACROSS, FIRST POWER MEANS ON SAID CARRIAGE ND IN DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TRANSLATING MEANS FOR EFFECTING SAID MOVEMENT AND POSITIONING THEREOF, SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PIVOTAL MOUNTING MEANS BETWEEN ONE END OF SAID ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS TO SAID TRANSLATING MEANS WITH THE AXIS THEREOF PARALLEL TO SAID CARRIGAE AXIS FOR PROVIDING SWINGING AND PIVOTING MOVEMENT OF SAID ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS WITH RESPECT TO SAID TRANSLATING MEANS AND ABOUT AN AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO BOTH SAID ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS AND SAID TRANSVERSE PLANE IN EACH OF SAID PLURALITY OF SAID HORIZONTAL POSITIONS INTO WHICH ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS IS TRANSLATED BY SAID TRANSLATING MEANS SECOND POWER MEANS IN DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS AND SAID PIVOTAL MOUNTING MEANS THEREFOR FOR THUS PIVOTING AND SWINGING SAID ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE OPERATION ND POSITONING OF SAID TRANSLATING MEANS AND SAID FIRST POWER MEANS THEREFOR, AND THRID POWER MEANS ON SAID CARRIAGE AND IN DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TRANSLATING MEANS FOR EFFECTING TILTING MOVEMENT OF SAID TRANSLATING MEANS LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID CARRIAGE TO DEFINE THE ANGLE OF SAID TRANSVERSE PLANE WITH THE VERTICAL. 